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Doug White

Doug White tells the story of rower Bill Havens, favored for Olympic gold at the 1924 Paris Games, who withdrew before competing because his wife was due to give birth, and describes it as one of his favorite Olympic moments precisely because Havens chose fatherhood over a medal he had trained his whole life for.

His restaurant service posts read like genuine hospitality training, told from the guest's side of the table, asking servers to communicate proactively rather than assume familiarity with a menu, and to make suggestions based on the guest's interest rather than the higher priced item. A post confessing he never learned Spanish despite most of his coworkers speaking it fluently is candid about the isolation that creates, rather than treating monolingualism as a minor inconvenience.

The TED talks post lists all six of the organization's actual presentation guidelines, distill your message, stay authentic, tell rather than sell, rather than vaguely praising the format.

One post stands apart, built entirely around someone else's sacrifice: the Bill Havens story.

What’s on my Bucket List – Doug White

Aug 1, 2012 · Doug White
What’s on my Bucket List – Doug White   I wanted to share with you what’s on my list.  Perhaps the following will inspire you to create your own. This exercise should…
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No regrets

Jul 31, 2012 · Doug White
No regrets Now that the 2012 London Olympics are upon us, I wanted to share one of my favorite Olympic moments. It’s a wonderful story; one that I hope will inspire and…
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Does anyone know Spanish?

Jul 31, 2012 · Doug White
Does anyone know Spanish? I imagine a powerful, resounding Si!  reply. Ah the blessing of being bilingual. Most achieved some sort of mediocre proficiency through proper education.  Others through the languages spoken…
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The Steps of Service, Part 2

Jul 29, 2012 · Doug White
The Steps of Service, Part 2 This is Part 2 of The Steps of Service If you haven’t read the previous post, I am sharing some of my thoughts on customer service. …
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What you can learn from TED talks

Jul 25, 2012 · Doug White
What you can learn from TED talks Or more pointedly, what can’t you learn from a TED video.  TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading.  It all began in 1984,…
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The Voice of the Critic

Jul 19, 2012 · Doug White
The Voice of the Critic I’m not a big fan of critics. Especially someone who earns a living criticizing others. Seems a little opportunistic to me, to build yourself up by tearing…
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Thriving in an Evergreen Market

Jul 17, 2012 · Doug White
Thriving in an Evergreen Market When I first heard the term Evergreen, I thought it had something to do with the going “Green” earth movement. I had no idea it referred to…
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